Common Cause urges you to reject an extraordinarily inappropriate nominee for a seat on the Federal Election Commission. Hans von Spakovsky, both in his current role as an FEC commissioner and in his former job at the Department of Justice, has demonstrated contempt for the rule of law and acted in an extreme partisan manner during his time in government.

We urge the Senate to reject efforts to "package" the four pending FEC nominations to avoid a separate vote on Mr. von Spakovsky. As Common Cause and other reform groups noted in an earlier letter, this would not only be unfair and undemocratic, but would conflict with a precedent established the last time the Senate considered a controversial FEC nominee.

Common Cause has worked for decades in support of a strong, independent enforcement agency for our nation's important campaign finance laws. We have been deeply disappointed in the efforts by both parties to appoint commissioners who were beholden to partisan interests rather than the public interest.

But Mr. von Spakovsky's nomination is especially disrespectful of the public interest. Mr. von Spakovsky's several years in government have been marked by activities that undermine the voting rights and campaign finance laws that are essential to our democratic system.

We urge the Senate to reject the nomination of Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Election Commission.